1. Field of the Invention
One disclosed aspect of the embodiments relates to a cartridge.
2. Description of the Related Art
Sterilization apparatuses for sterilizing an object for sterilization such as a medical instrument have been conventionally used, for example, in the medical field. Such a sterilization apparatus evaporates hydrogen peroxide or a hydrogen peroxide solution as a sterilizing agent, and sterilizes an object for sterilization by bringing the object for sterilization into contact with the evaporated hydrogen peroxide.
Conventionally, a dose of a sterilizing agent used in a sterilization apparatus is absorbed by the sterilization apparatus from a cassette including a plurality of cells each containing a dose of the sterilizing agent to be used to sterilize an object for sterilization (for example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2006-158958).
An amount of sterilizing agent which may be evaporated is determined according to a capacity of a sterilization chamber, and thus an amount of sterilizing agent used in sterilizing processing is determined according to the capacity of the sterilization chamber. In addition, conventionally, a capacity of a sterilization chamber may be different according to the types of sterilization apparatuses. Therefore, when a plurality of types of sterilization apparatuses whose sterilization chambers have different capacities is used, sterilizing agent cassettes suitable for the respective sterilization apparatuses are necessary. More specifically, amounts of sterilizing agents to be used in the sterilization apparatuses are different, and cassettes used in the respective sterilization apparatuses need to be prepared, thus the cassettes are not common and the costs for purchasing the respective cassettes are necessary.
It is considered to use a cartridge where one bottle contains a sterilizing agent with sufficient amount suitable for a plurality of types of sterilizing processing. However, when such a cartridge is used, an amount of liquid sterilizing agent (for example, a hydrogen peroxide solution) which may be contained in the cartridge becomes larger, and thus an air pressure in the cartridge becomes higher due to water or oxygen gas generated when hydrogen peroxide in the cartridge is discomposed while the cartridge is stored, making a possibility of damaging the cartridge or leaking a liquid higher. Further, if the cartridge is damaged, for example, due to a drop of the cartridge, a possibility of leaking a liquid sterilizing agent in the cartridge becomes higher.